Abstract
This work aims at characterizing silicon grains and its compacts. In order to remove iron silicon grains were washed with 5N hydrochloride at 60-7$0^{\circ}C$ for 170 hrs, and then followed the chemical analysis by atomic absorption spectrophotometer X-ray diffraction analysis SEM observation and specific surface area determination by B. E. T. Mixtures of graded silicon particles with two or three different sizes were made into packings by mechanical vibration. The mixtures were used to make compacts with 10 mm in diameter and 70mm in length by isostatically pressing at 1, 208 kg/$cm^2$ (20 kpsi) and 4, 255kg/$cm^2$ (60 kpsi) respectively. Bulk densities of packings and compacts were measured. A slip made of magnesium nitrate solution and fine silicon particles was spray-dried and then decomposed at 30$0^{\circ}C$ for the purpose of coating the uniform layer of magnesium oxide on the surface of particles. The results obtained are as follows: (1) About two thirds of iron content could be removed from silicon by washing silicon powders with hydrochloride. (2) Uniform layer of magnesium oxide on the surface of silicon could be prepared by spray-drying suspension and by decomposing it. (3) B. E. T. specific surface area of fine silicon particles was 2, 826.753$m^3$/kg. (4) In the binary system with two sizes of 40-53$\mu\textrm{m}$ particles and <10$\mu\textrm{m}$ particles the maximum bulk density of packing was 55% of theoretical value and that of compacts made at the pressure of 4, 255 kg./$cm^2$ (60 kpsi) was 73% of theoretical value. (5) In the ternary system with three sizes the maximum bulk density of packing was 1.43 g/$cm^3$and that of compacts was 1.80g/$cm^3$which is equivalent to 77.6% of theoretical value. The composition of the closest compact was consisted of 50% of 40-53$\mu\textrm{m}$ particles 20% of 10-30$\mu\textrm{m}$ particles and 30% of <10$\mu\textrm{m}$ parti-cles.